Fixing a Novatron

[BetterSense]

I have a flash system that has had a broken flash tube since I bought it. I bought a new tube for it and soldered it in, but it doesn't flash. It's possible that I got a bad tube, but it could also be something else. But there's not a whole lot else--just some resistors, a cap, and some weird cardboard coil thingy.

I'm suspecting that brown cardboard coil thing. I have no idea what it is but it looks like a coil of some kind. Maybe the electrolyte is dried out or something? Does anyone know what it's for?

[photobymike]

LOL bettersense.... be careful !! The voltage from these units will stop your heart.. literally... i work with my dad when i was a kid as a electrician helper... i have seen a fellow worker killed from electrocution. It was from hi amperage ... but the right hi voltage can stop your heart. It seems to me that it would be cheaper to buy a used working head.... just my humble opinion...

[BetterSense]

Don't worry; I'm a professional. I just don't know what I'm doing.

[Leigh]

II'm suspecting that brown cardboard coil thing. I have no idea what it is but it looks like a coil of some kind.

That's the trigger transformer. It's probably open. Fairly common problem, not related to the broken flash tube.

I suggest you send it to Novatron for repair.

- Leigh

[ic-racer]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Trigger-coil...item19c23d485c

$3.30

[Scott Davis]

I'd suggest skipping DIY fixes with strobe gear, ESPECIALLY Novatrons. They have a reputation for unintended discharges with less than fortuitous outcomes.

[Leigh]

Yeah, what he said ^^^^

Do not try to fix this yourself. You don't have the schematic, and Novatron won't give it to you, nor will they sell you parts.

The trigger transformer on ebay (linked above) is NOT the correct transformer for your head.

As i said before, send it to Novatron or an authorized service shop for repair.
I used to be a warranty service station for Novatron, so I'm reasonably familiar with their products.

- Leigh

[Cletus]

Just my two bits - because I'm bored and don't feel like working this morning - I am an electrical engineer and an experienced electrician to boot, and I wouldn't be fooling around with something with that much potential (literally) to do serious bodily harm. No matter your deep knowledge of tracing out circuits without a print, 'discharging' caps, grounding, etc., 500 to 1000v stored up in enough uFs is EASILY enough to KILL you.

I'm sure your head is disconnected from the source and you have no intention of....whatever. When you're troubleshooting, replacing parts and doing what you're doing, there will eventully come a point where you are at HIGH RISK of exposure and it ain't worth it!

Last thing I'll say, then quit my little warning lecture: I thought I was in high cotton, years ago, trying to "fix" an itty-bitty electronic flash unit. (Not a great big power pack unit) I was alone and evidently came into contact with an itty-bitty, harmless looking little cap. I'll never be sure what happened exactly, but I got up off the floor, missing nearly four hours and with absolutely no memory of what happened. I can only believe that I truly have a guardian angel and he was present and accounted for that day.

[photobymike]

I tried to warn ... even experienced people say its not worth it.... depending on your condition and circumstances we may be minus a LF member. I tried to fix a flash head long ago.... i plugged into the pak and blam !! the power pak blew up ..

oh well keep us up to date please.....

[E. von Hoegh]

Fools rush in, where wise men fear to tread....

One way to be certain would be to solder a jumper across the capacitor while you are working on the unit. Be sure to discharge the cap. first. The jumper is important because hysteresis of the electrolyte can allow the cap. the build up a charge all by itself, after you've discharged it.
That said, listen to everyone else and don't mess with it unless you know exactly what you are doing.